Wiper lever with a driven wiper arm and a wiper blade linked to it for cleaning the windows of motor vehicles in particular

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a wiper lever ( 10 ) with a driven wiper arm ( 12 ) and a wiper blade ( 16 ) linked to it to clean windows, in particular of motor vehicles, which is provided with a band-like, long-stretched-out, elastic supporting element ( 30 ) that is curved over its band surfaces, which features a long-stretched-out, rubber elastic wiper strip ( 24 ) on its concave curved band surface ( 31 ), on whose upper, convex curved band surface ( 29 ), in particular in the longitudinal mid-range of the supporting element, a coupling part ( 32 ) sits to connect the wiper blade ( 16 ) to the wiper arm ( 12 ) and wind deflector strip sections ( 52 ) extending towards the ends of the supporting element are arranged in particular on both sides of the coupling part and a cap ( 60 ) to cover the connecting area between the wiper blade and the wiper arm belongs to the wiper lever, which cap can be locked on the supporting element ( 30 ) of the wiper blade and is provided with elastically deflectable locking means ( 74 ). Assembly of the cap on the wiper blade in its correct position on the wiper blade is achieved in a simple manner if the supporting element is provided with at least two limit stops ( 82 ) each pointing in opposite longitudinal directions of the wiper blade ( 16 ) to which corresponding counter limit stops ( 84 ) of the cap ( 60 ) are assigned.

STATE OF THE ART

In the case of a wiper lever of the type designated in thepre-characterizing clause of the independent claim, the supportingelement of the wiper blade is supposed to guarantee the most uniformpossible distribution of wiper blade application force originating fromthe wiper arm on the window over the entire wiper field being covered bythe wiper blade. Because of a corresponding curvature of the unstressedsupporting element—i.e., when the wiper blade is not adjacent to thewindow—the ends of the wiper strip that are applied completely to thewindow during wiper blade operation are stressed by the then tensionedsupporting element on the window, even if the curvature radii ofspherically curved vehicle windows change with every wiper bladeposition. The curvature of the wiper blade must therefore be somewhatgreater than the greatest curvature measured in the wiper field on theto-be-wiped window. The supporting element thereby replaces theexpensive supporting bracket design, which is required to distribute theapplication force, with two spring rails arranged in the wiper strip,which are used for transverse reinforcement of the rubber elastic wiperstrip, as is the practice with conventional wiper blades (DE-PS 1247161).

In a known wiper lever in accordance with the species (R 39836(PCT/DE01/04307)) the cap covering the articulated connection betweenthe wiper arm and the wiper blade is locked exclusively by friction withthe wiper blade. A special fixation of the cap in the longitudinaldirection of the wiper blade is not provided. In order to keep theassembly time of the cap on the wiper blade—including the requireddetermination of position—as short as possible, the dimension of thepassage opening in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade must beprovided with a high plus tolerance so that the required smooth-runningoscillating movement between the wiper arm and the wiper blade is notimpaired. The gaps thereby yielded between wiper arm and the edge of thepassage opening in the cap lead to undesired air stream noise and alsointerfere with the harmonic transition between wiper blade and wiper armin the area of the articulated connection that is striven for with thearrangement of the cap.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

In the case of the wiper lever with the characterizing features of claim1, the assembly of the cap on the wiper blade is simplifiedconsiderably, because the correct position of the cap is automaticallydefined due to the arrangement of at least two limit stops pointing inopposite longitudinal directions of the wiper blade, if the cap isprovided with correspondingly embodied counter limit stops thatcooperate with the limit stops on the wiper blade. The tolerance for thelongitudinal dimension of the passage opening can be minimized as aresult so that disadvantages can no longer be expected due to the nowslight gap dimension between the wiper arm and the edge of the passageopening.

Particularly simple and cost-effective counter limit stops for the capare produced if these are embodied on the already existing locking nosesof the cap.

If a component to connect the wiper blade to the wiper arm is a part ofthe supporting element and sits on the supporting element's convexcurved band surface, the limit stops of the supporting element can beembodied directly on this component so that the arrangement of speciallimit stops can be dispensed with.

With respect to simplified assembly of the wiper blade, the componentgrips around the longitudinal edges of the supporting element withholding claws, wherein the limit stops are embodied on the holdingclaws.

In order to keep the component and therefore also the cap compact, thecomponent has two holding claws located at a distance from one anotherin the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade, whose facing cheeksform the limit stops for the locking noses of the cap that are locatedbetween the holding claws.

In the case of an embodiment—that is expedient in certain applicationcases—of the supporting element with two spring rails that are arrangedat a distance from one another and are parallel in a common plane, theiropposite, outer longitudinal edges are gripped by the holding claws ofthe component, which are provided with the limit stops of the supportingelement. Also in this case, the limit stops of the supporting elementsare expediently embodied on the holding claws of the component.

It is especially advantageous if the cap is manufactured of an elasticplastic so that the locking noses formed on the cap, supported by acorresponding shape, can be deflected elastically.

Additional advantageous developments and embodiments of the inventionare disclosed in the following description of an exemplary embodimentdepicted in the associated drawings.

DRAWINGS

The drawings show:

FIG. 1 A side view (not to scale) of a wiper lever, whose wiper blade isprovided with a wind defector strip.

FIG. 2 An enlarged depiction of a detail designated by II in FIG. 1 in aperspective representation.

FIG. 3 A cross-section through the arrangement according to FIG. 2 cutalong Line III-III.

FIG. 4 A cap belonging to the wiper lever as seen from above and in aperspective representation.

FIG. 5 A perspective view of a component belonging to the wiper bladeand its arrangement on a supporting element of the wiper blade that isindicated by a dot-dash line.

FIG. 6 A perspective representation (not to scale) of the cap accordingto FIG. 4 as seen from below with an arrangement (indicated by adot-dash line) of a supporting element that features two springs railsas well as with the end pieces of holding claws of the componentaccording to FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

A driven wiper arm 12 that is guided on one end on a motor vehicle (notshown) is a part of the wiper lever 10 (FIG. 9) in accordance with theinvention. The driven end of the wiper arm is provided with referencenumber 11 in FIG. 1. Linked to the other, free end 14 of the wiper armis a long-stretched-out wiper blade 16 that belongs to the wiper lever10. The wiper arm 12 is positioned on its drive end 11 in such a waythat, during wiper operation, it can swing back and forth betweenreverse positions around a pendulum axis 20 in a vertical plane on thedrawing plane. In the process, the wiper blade 16 is moved transverse toits longitudinal extension over the to-be-wiped window, whereby it abutsthe surface 28 of a to-be-wiped window with a rubber elastic wiper strip24. The wiper strip 24 is longitudinally axially parallel with aband-like, long-stretched-out, elastic supporting element 30, on whoseupper band surface 29 facing away from the window a component 32 sits(FIGS. 3 and 5) via which the wiper blade 16 is connected to the wiperarm 12 in an articulated manner to form the wiper lever 10. The wiperstrip 24 is therefore arranged on the lower band surface 31 of thesupporting element 30 that faces the window. The component 32 whosecross-section is T-shaped in sections, and can also be designated as anarticulated part, faces the supporting element 30 with its T-head 34 andgrips around the outer longitudinal strips 40 of the supporting element30 with claws 38 that are arranged on the T-head. The articulated part32 is solidly connected to the supporting element 30 at these claws, forexample, welded and/or fixed to it by squeezing the claws together. Inthe exemplary embodiment, the supporting element 30 includes two springrails 42, which extend at least almost parallel to one other lying in acommon plane. The supporting element is curved (FIG. 1) over its bandsurfaces 29, 31 in such a way that the wiper strip 24 is situated on itsconcave curved band surface 31 and the articulated part 32 sits on theconvex curved band surface 29 (FIG. 1). The inner facing longitudinalstrips 41 of the spring rails 42 lie in open-edged longitudinal grooves44 of the wiper strip 24. The T-foot 36 of the coupling part 32 extendsaway from the supporting element 30 and is penetrated by an articulatedbolt 46, whose two ends projecting out of the T-foot are visible inFIGS. 3 and 5. The wiper arm 12 (shown in a dot-dash line in FIG. 3)engages at this articulated bolt or rather at its open ends withcorrespondingly embodied rest recesses. An adapter 48 that is preferablymanufactured of a plastic is located between the T-foot 36 and the wiperarm 12 and this adapter guarantees an operationally reliable, detachableconnection is between the wiper arm 12 and the wiper blade 16 that formsthe wiper level 10. FIG. 3 shows that the articulated bolt 46 or ratherits articulated axis 47 essentially extends in the direction of thependulum motion or operating motion of the wiper lever 10. As FIG. 1shows, the to-be-wiped surface 28 of the window is curved. Since theline 28 is supposed to represent the greatest curvature of the windowsurface, it is clearly evident that the curvature of the as yetunstressed wiper blade 16, whose two ends 18 are adjacent to the windowsurface 28, is greater than the maximum curvature of the window. Underan application force exerted by the wiper arm 12 acting in the directionof arrow 22 (FIG. 1), the wiper blade applies its rubber elastic wiperstrip 24, arranged on the lower band surface 31 of the supportingelement, over the entire length of the window surface 28. In doing so,tension builds up in the elastic supporting element 30 manufactured ofmetal and this tension is responsible for the proper application of thewiper strip 24 over its entire length on the window as well as for theuniform distribution of the application force 22. Moreover, thesupporting element 30 with its spring rails 24 is responsible for therequired transverse stabilization of the rubber elastic wiper strip 24.Because the window, which is spherically curved as a rule, does notrepresent a section of a spherical surface, the wiper blade 16 must beable to constantly adapt vis-à-vis the wiper arm 12 during its wiperoperation to the respective position and the progression of the windowsurface 28. As a result, a smooth-running articulated connection isrequired between the wiper arm 12 and the wiper blade 16 that makes anoscillating movement (double arrow 26 in FIG. 1) around the pivot pinaxis 47 possible. In addition, FIGS. 1 and 4 show that the articulatedaxis 47 is also aligned transverse to the direction of the applicationforce (arrow 22). FIGS. 1 and 2 show that the wiper blade is provided onthe upper band surface 29 of the supporting element 30 with a winddeflector strip 50 that is connected for example with the wiper strip24. The wind deflector strip has two partial sections 52 that lie at adistance 54 from one another as seen in the longitudinal direction ofthe wiper blade (FIG. 1). This results therefore in a free space 56 inthe wind deflector strip 50, which makes the arrangement of thearticulated part 32 on the supporting element 30 possible. The winddeflector strip 50 is provided with an air-flow flute on its onelongitudinal side against which mainly the air stream flows. In order tocover the articulated connection between the wiper arm 10 and the wiperblade 12 or rather between its articulated part 32 and to achieve aharmonic transition between the facing ends of the partial sections 52of the wind deflector strip 50, a cap 60 is also part of the wiper lever10 and its structure is supposed to be explained particularly on thebasis of FIGS. 3, 4 and 6. It has a trough-shaped center section 62,whose trough base is largely removed, thereby yielding a passage opening64 for the free end 14 of the wiper arm. As a result, the cap has twolongitudinal walls 66 and 67, which are connected to one another attheir one end by an end wall 68 and at their other ends by a cross strut70.

The two longitudinal walls 66, 67 of the cap 60, which is manufacturedof an elastic plastic, are provided with elastically deflectable lockingmeans on their longitudinal edges 72 that face the supporting element30, which are embodied as locking noses 74 in the exemplary embodiment.In this connection, two locking noses 74 located at a distance 75 fromone another are arranged on the one longitudinal wall 66. Located on thelongitudinal edge 72 of the other longitudinal wall 67 is a locking nose74, which is located—as related to the two locking noses on thelongitudinal wall 66—between the two locking noses 74 of thelongitudinal wall 66. In addition, arranged on each longitudinal wallare supporting or reinforcing ribs 76, which extend essentially from thepassage opening 64 until close to the longitudinal edges 72 of thelongitudinal walls 66, 67. On the ends of the supporting ribs 76 facingthe edges 72, they are recessed to match the width of the supportingelement 30 so that supports 78 are produced (FIG. 6).

As already mentioned, the claws 38 of the articulated part 32 arearranged at a distance from one another as seen in the longitudinaldirection so that an intermediate space 80 is yielded between the twoclaws that are located on the same side of the articulated part 32. Theintermediate space 80 is therefore limited by facing cheek-like frontsides 82 of the holding claws 38 (FIG. 5). This can also be seen in FIG.6 where the ends of the claws 38 have been drawn in for the purpose ofunderstanding the invention better. In order to achieve a simple, exactpositioning of the cover 60 on the supporting element 30, the inventionuses the facing front sides 82 of the holding claws 38 as positioningshoulders or positioning aids in the exemplary embodiment. Thesepositioning shoulders or positioning aids define the proper assemblyposition of the cap on the supporting element 30 or rather on the wiperblade 16 in cooperation with the fore parts 84 of the locking noses 74that are facing away from one another. This is possible as a result,because the articulated part 32—as already mentioned—is solidlyconnected with the supporting element 30 or rather with its spring rails42. Therefore, the fore parts 84 of the locking noses 74 that are facingaway from one another have a distance 81 from one another that has beenadapted to match the dimension of the intermediate space 80 between thefront sides or cheeks 82 of the holding claws 38. Therefore, the frontsides 82 of the holding claws 38 form limit stops that point in twoopposite longitudinal directions of the wiper blade, to which the foreparts 84 of the cap's locking noses 74 acting as counter limit stops areassigned as fitting shoulders.

It goes without saying that the arrangement of the locking noses shownin the exemplary embodiment represents only one of several possibilitiesfor realizing the invention with respect to the holding claws. Ofcourse, it is also possible to position the locking noses of the cap onthe two front sides of the holding claws that are facing away from oneanother. Moreover, it is also conceivable to put at least two lockingnoses of the cap in a working connection with a single holding claw byarranging one locking nose each on both sides of such a holding claw. Inaddition, it is naturally also conceivable for several locking noses tobe arranged on the longitudinal wall 67 instead of a single locking noseand these locking noses can also be used as positioning aids. It canalso be meaningful to provide the cap 60 on its two longitudinal edges72 with only one single locking nose, whose longitudinal extension iscoordinated with the dimension of the intermediate space 80. Properpositioning of the cap on the supporting element or rather on the wiperblade is always achieved by this in that the supporting element has atleast two limit stops each pointing in opposite longitudinal directionsof the wiper blade, to which corresponding limit stops of the cap areassigned.

In order to attach the cap to the supporting element, the cap is putinto a position with respect to the wiper blade, which is depicted inFIGS. 4 and 5. From this pre-assembly position, the cap 60 is placed onthe wiper blade in the direction of arrow 86. During this placementmotion, the locking noses 74 deflect due to their shape, for example theformation of starting bevels in the direction of arrow 88 in FIG. 3,when the starting bevels impact against the outer longitudinal strips 40of the supporting element 30. This deflection can be achieved either bycertain cross-section modifications of the locking noses known to theexpert and/or by an elastic deflection of the longitudinal walls 66, 67of the cap 60. The assembly motion (arrow 86) of the cap is concluded ifthe supports 78 are resting on the support ribs 76 on the upper bandsurface 29 of the supporting element 30. In this position the lockingnoses 74 can spring back into their initial position, because the outerlongitudinal strips 40 of the supporting element 30 can reach into therear sections of the locking noses, whereby the locking noses grip underthe supporting element and thereby bring about a secure fit of the cap60 on the wiper blade 16.

After the cap is connected to the wiper blade, further assembly of thewiper lever 10 can take place in that the free end 14 of the wiper arm12 is fed through the passage opening 64 and the articulated connectionbetween the wiper arm 12 and the wiper blade 16 is produced.

1. Wiper lever (10) with a driven wiper arm (12) and a wiper blade (16)linked to it to clean windows, in particular of motor vehicles, which isprovided with a band-like, long-stretched-out, elastic supportingelement (30) that is curved over its band surfaces, which features along-stretched-out, rubber elastic wiper strip (24) on its concavecurved band surface (31) and a component (32) to connect the wiper blade(16) to the wiper arm (12) sits on its convex curved band surface (29),wherein a cap (60) to cover the connecting area between the wiper bladeand the wiper arm belongs to the wiper lever (10), which cap can belocked on the supporting element (30) of the wiper blade (16) and isprovided with elastically deflectable locking means (74), characterizedin that the supporting element (30) is provided with at least two limitstops each pointing in opposite longitudinal directions of the wiperblade (16) to which corresponding counter limit stops of the cap (60)are assigned.
 2. Wiper lever according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe counter limit stops of the covering cap (60) are embodied on thelocking noses (74).
 3. Wiper lever according to claim 1, characterizedin that a component (32) to connect the wiper blade (16) to the wiperarm (12) is a part of the supporting element (30) and sits on thesupporting element's convex curved band surface (29) and limit stops(82) of the supporting element are embodied on the component.
 4. Wiperlever according to claim 3, characterized in that the component (32)grips around the longitudinal edges (40) of the supporting element (30)with holding claws (38) and that the limit stops are embodied on holdingclaws of the component.
 5. Wiper lever according to claim 4,characterized in that the component (32) has two holding claws (38)located at a distance (80) from one another in the longitudinaldirection of the wiper blade, whose facing cheeks (82) form the limitstops for the locking noses (74) of the cap (60) that are locatedbetween the holding claws.
 6. Wiper lever according to claim 4,characterized in that the supporting element (30) features two springrails (42) that are arranged at a distance from one another and areparallel in a common plane, whose opposite, outer longitudinal edges(40) are gripped by the holding claws (38) of the component (32), whichare provided with the limit stops (82) of the supporting element. 7.Wiper lever according to claim 1, characterized in that the cap (60) ismade of an elastic plastic.
 8. Wiper lever according to claim 1,characterized in that the component (32) is arranged in a longitudinalmid-range of the supporting element and wind deflector strip sections(52) extending towards the ends of the supporting element are arrangedon both sides of the component.
 9. Cap to cover an articulatedconnection present between a wiper arm (12) driven in a pendulum fashionand a wiper blade (16), in particular to clean windows of motorvehicles, to which connection an articulated guide present on the wiperarm belongs, which is assigned an articulated piece (32) arranged on aband-like, long-stretched-out supporting element (30) for a wiper strip(24) of the wiper blade and the two articulated parts are detachablyconnected with one another via an adapter (48), wherein the cap (60) haslocking means (74) with which it can connect to the wiper blade, of thekind that fitting shoulders (84) are embodied on the locking means, andthe fitting shoulders can cooperate with the positioning shoulders (82)that are present on the wiper blade (16).
 10. Wiper lever according toclaim 2, characterized in that a component (32) to connect the wiperblade (16) to the wiper arm (12) is a part of the supporting element(30) and sits on the supporting element's convex curved band surface(29) and limit stops (82) of the supporting element are embodied on thecomponent.
 11. Wiper lever according to claim 5, characterized in thatthe supporting element (30) features two spring rails (42) that arearranged at a distance from one another and are parallel in a commonplane, whose opposite, outer longitudinal edges (40) are gripped by theholding claws (38) of the component (32), which are provided with thelimit stops (82) of the supporting element.
 12. Wiper lever according toclaim 2, characterized in that the cap (60) is made of an elasticplastic.
 13. Wiper lever according to claim 3, characterized in that thecap (60) is made of an elastic plastic.
 14. Wiper lever according toclaim 4, characterized in that the cap (60) is made of an elasticplastic.
 15. Wiper lever according to claim 5, characterized in that thecap (60) is made of an elastic plastic.
 16. Wiper lever according toclaim 6, characterized in that the cap (60) is made of an elasticplastic.
 17. Wiper lever according to claim 7, characterized in that thecomponent (32) is arranged in a longitudinal mid-range of the supportingelement and wind deflector strip sections (52) extending towards theends of the supporting element are arranged on both sides of thecomponent.